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Check out our uses for old tech toys

Cape Town - The iPad first wowed the market in 2010, and the tablet computing device promised to change the way that people interacted with smart devices.

But technology moves and moves swiftly.

Within months a number of manufacturers had developed their own tablets with additional functionality like memory card slots and basic cameras.

Size and weight also played key roles as rivals like Samsung, Apple, Lenovo and others battled to smart supremacy.

But along the way, those old tablets that have served their purpose are in a desk drawer or at the bottom of a shoe cupboard somewhere.

As smartphones become better, particularly as phablets head toward mainstream adoption, many of those old clunky tablets may still have a purpose. But what purpose?

Heavy beasts

We decided to investigate alternative functions for old tablets whether they are working or not.

Old iPad were heavy beasts and though we thought they were the cat's whiskers, they are completely eclipsed by modern devices.

Apple will likely release the new iPad on 16 October.

The size of the old iPad makes it ideal as a replacement cricket bat. Our resident "Sports Billy" Sean Parker demonstrates this cover drive.



Or if sport doesn't float your boat, try using an old iPad as a bullet proof vest. It's heavy and wide, though we don't recommend that you actually use it to stop bullets.



For more civilised activities, the iPad also performs well as a tray for you formal events. It's wide enough to cater for two cups of coffee, or an evening cocktail.



The iPad also does well as a door stop as its weight makes it just heavy enough to keep a door in place, but not break your back when you pick it up.



If you have a stack of books (ah books, remember them?), the iPad does well as a bookend.

Can you think of any ideas for old technology? Let us know.

* No iPads were harmed in this demonstration


- Follow Duncan on Twitter

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